Ditching-machine



G. D. EDWARDS; Ditching-Machine.

No. 225,579, Patented Mar. 16,1880.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES D. EDWARDS, OF ALBERT LEA, MINNESOTA.

DlTCHlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 225,579, dated March 16, 1880.

I Application filed J anuary 26, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OEARLEs'D. EDWARDS, of Albert Lea, in the county of Freeborn and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ditching Machines, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective vie of part of the rear frame.

This invention relates to an improvement on the ditching-plow, No.216,162,heretofore issued to me, whereby the soil can be deposited upon either side of the ditch and the depth regulated when the plow is being drawn forward I by the capstan.

The object is to more effectually regulate the cutting depth of the machine, as will hereinafter be fully set forth.

A A represents two wooden beams with the flooring A between them, having a metalic point, A, secured to theirlower ends. To the outer side of each beam A is secured metallic plate B, to the front ends of which are secured the lower ends of the knives B.

At the rear ends of the beams A is a crossbar, 0, connecting the two beams, which crossbar supports the rear end of the floor A, while the crossbar, in turn, rests upon the rear frame, supported by the wheels 0. On the forward end of the front iron frame to which the team is attached are two vertical iron loops or guides, D, one on each side of the frame, with a screw, D, fastened therein, said screw being operatecl by means of wrench E or otherwise. On this screw is a nut, E, running up and down in the guides D. To each of 'these nuts are fastened the upper ends of the two knives B B by means of bolts E. By turning the bolts D and running the nuts E up or down in the guide D the point A will run deeper or shallower in the ground, or the point can be raised entirely out of the ground.

The iron frame D extends forward beyond the plow-point a suitable distance, and has two hooks, F, to which the draft chain or ropes F are fastened.

On each side, and running obliquely across the floorA, are the two bent mold-boards G,

each running in the direction the dirt has to travel, and permanently attached to the floor A and cross-piece O.

Extending from the stationary mold-board down to the point of the plow is the movable mold-board G, which is fastened to the floor A by means of a skein-screw, G.

As shown in the drawings, the dirt will be deposited on the right side; but by removing the movable mold-board G from the floor and inclining the guides H I in the opposite direction and using a reverse mold-board instead of the movable mold-board G, the dirt will be thrown on the other side.

The. guidesTl .I are made in two parts, and are fastened on a pivot in the center of the floor A, the forward one, I, being fastened to the floor by a self-lock, I but the rear one, H, can be adjusted at will to any desired angle by means of the brace H, working between two iron guides, J J, fastened on the rear end of the floor A. In each of these guides is an iron screw, J, with a nut, J, connecting the two. By means of these screws the guideboard H can be moved nearer to or farther from the ditch when the machine is in motion.

The tool-box K is placed on the floor A the rear frame are two corresponding blocks, L, with shoulders, which are to-be used as 'fulcrums for a lever in raising or lowering the rear end of the beams A. Were it not for these movable blocks L to support the rear end of the beams when the machine was in motion, the forward end of the rear frame, L, would plow into the ground, and, if not removed when the machine is being run out of the ground, the rear end frame would not run level on the ground.

Pivoted upon the rod N is the before-mentioned rear frame, L, which is supported at its rear end by the wheels 0, the axle O of which is adjustable up or down in the loop-guides 0, one on each side of the frame.

While the machine is in operation the axle is adjusted in the loops as desired; but when the machine is being moved from place to place the axle is fastened at the bottom of the loops by means of pins 0.

Upon the rear end of the frame L, near the axle-guides O, are-the hooks P, one on each end of the frame L, to be used in turning the machine or moving the rear end sidewise.

Directly in front of the wheels, hinged to the side rails, L, of the frame, are downwardlyprojecting boards It. As shown in Fig. 3, R R represent the hinges. On the cross-beam of the frame a board having beveled ends swings by means of hinges S on the rod S. This board, falling between the boards R, holds them at any desired angle.

By dropping the boards R downward their outer sides bear against the inside of the ditch and prevent the rear end of the machine from being pushed sidewise or into the ditch when the earth is being turned from the plow. The boards can be adjusted at will when the machine is in motion.

In moving the machine about when not in operation, the axle O is fastened to the frame L, as shown in Fig. 2, and the boards R S are raised up out of the way, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When in use the boards are arranged as shown in Fig. 3.

In Letters Patent No. 216,162 the hinged boards R S were used and described for the purpose of regulating the depth of the ditch, and when the pins 0, which hold the axle of the wheels down upon the frame, were withdrawn from the adjustable guide 0 the axle 0 would rise upward in the guides, and thus the frame is no longer supported by the wheels,

and were it not for the boards R the frame L would drop to the ground.

In this invention the depth of the ditch is regulated by means of the screws D and nuts E, attached to the upper ends of the knives B, and the rear frame, L, rests and runs upon the ground when in operation, and is in no way supported by the two downwardly-projecting boards R.

The use of the boards in this invention is to keep the runners of the rear frame in position upon each side of the ditch.

Having described in yinveution, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The rear frame, L, having thereon the movable blocks L, in combination with the beams A and the cross-piece O, to prevent the rear support of the mold-boards G and guide H from falling on the rear frame, L, when in operation, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The iron guides J, attached to the rear end of floor A, having at each of their ends screws J, passing through nuts J, in combination with the brace H, operating betweensaid nuts J and the rear end of guide H, whereby said guide may be adjusted at any desired angle, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of January, A. D. 1880.

CHARLES D. EDWARDS.

Witnesses:

J. S. ZERBE, JOHN BENTZ. 

